When George Mansfield was hired to run Segal Electric's quality operation, he was sure the company was serious about regaining its reputation for high-quality products. Now, only a month later, he's not so sure. While George was away at a seminar, Sharon Morse, the production supervisor, shipped some defective fans. George went to the general manager for support, but was told to work it out on the factory floor. Four business people--William A. Golomski, president of W.A. Golomski & Associates; Ray J. Rogal, director of quality for the Ford Motor Co.; Keith Larson, general manager of the Eastern Operation for Barry Controls; and Michael T. Cowhig, vice president of manufacturing at Gillette's Personal Care Group--offer observations about what went wrong in quality control at Segal.
The treasurer of Gaz de France is an aggressive, proactive manager of his company's liability structure, running one of the largest swap books of any non-financial corporation in the world. Currency futures, interbank forwards, and currency options are also frequently used to control the company's multi-currency liability structure. This case prompts students to explore the reasons and ramifications of such aggressive liability management, with particular attention being paid to the administrative challenges created by such a large swap position. An important decision has to be made regarding the management of the swap book in the face of the depreciating dollar, the decline of the franc against the German mark, and a possible realignment of the European Currency Unit. This is a comprehensive case involving swaps, debt policy, and foreign exchange exposure that is best taught after students have been introduced to these topics.
A young woman manager in a Swiss family firm finds that her role as a managing director becomes bitterly unpleasant once her older brother decides to leave an engineering career and join the family business. That is what the father, who was head of the business had been hoping and waiting for. He begins to belittle and ridicule the daughter. The board of directors also favors a male successor. The daughter writes a letter of resignation just before taking a trip abroad. While she is overseas, both parents write letters asking her to reconsider.
Home Depot, founded in 1978, pioneered the warehouse retailing concept in the home center industry. The company's niche strategy resulted in rapid growth in sales. By 1986, however, the company began experiencing deteriorating profitability. Students are asked to analyze the company's performance using ratio analysis and sustainable growth framework, and to recommend a plan of action.
Describes Korea's efforts to improve its technological capability and learn to produce and export high technology goods. The roles of government policy, domestic firms, and foreign firms are explored. Special attention is paid to how technology flows across borders, what impact this has on competitiveness, and how government and firms manage these flows.
Describes the new material-burdening system they have implemented and the cycle-time-burdening system they are proposing. Asks students to analyze the new cost system.
Prior to the Motor Carrier Act of 1980, companies with private trucking fleets were generally prohibited from selling transportation services to other companies. The deregulation of the trucking industry in 1980 allowed private carriers to offer for-hire transportation services. In 1983, as part of an effort to offset the rise in their distribution costs, Frito-Lay considers selling miles on its backhaul lanes to other companies. Frito-Lay management must consider whether the potential revenues from these services warrant the possible degradation of service to Frito-Lay's sales force. If the backhaul proposal is approved, a marketing plan for the transportation services must be developed.
Schulze Waxed Containers has recently lost 20% of its business. The firm's cost accounting system spreads fixed costs over the volume produced. The 1987 costs reflect the lower production volume and are higher. The firm has recently adopted a minimum mark up. The result is increased minimum prices and lost business. The firm introduced a capacity-based cost system that identifies the cost of excess capacity. The case analyzes the design of this new cost system.
Describes the evolution of the Boeing 767 from the conception of the project to the start of manufacturing. Shows how the company manages an enormously complex and risky project and introduces students to a variety of estimating and management tools. The decision issue involves the shift from three-person to two-person cockpits and whether rework should be done in-line (without removing planes from the flow of production) or off-line (after initial assembly has been completed).
Updates the (A) case to the present day. The issue facing students is whether Boeing's approach to managing new airplane programs must be modified to fit with this new environment.
The objective is to delineate on methodology for measuring the risk associated with financial leverage and estimating its impact on the cost of equity capital.
Considers the predicament of Richardson-Vicks in 1985. After 80 years of growth and independence, the company is the object of takeover rumors. The objective is to determine why these difficulties have arisen and what, if anything, Richardson-Vicks can do about them.
Considers takeover defenses erected by Richardson-Vicks. The objective is to determine whether these defenses can by breached by a determined suitor, like Unilever.